Park's new 288 acres meant to mitigate power lines

New details emerged Tuesday about the expansion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Beth Brelje

New details emerged Tuesday about the expansion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

Effective May 6, the boundary of the 67,000-acre area has been adjusted to include an additional 288 adjacent acres in Pike and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania and Sussex County, New Jersey.

The new parcels are largely forested and undeveloped, either within or adjacent to the former park boundary, and will require little active maintenance.

The addition of these properties is intended to help mitigate the effects of the Susquehanna-Roseland electric transmission line upgrade and expansion that crosses about 4.3 miles of the area, the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

As compensation for impacts to park resources and visitors, the NPS negotiated to receive $66 million from power companies PPL and PSE&G.

The companies had a right-of-way on the land years before it was owned by NPS, but to be allowed to upgrade the existing power lines, the mitigation money had to be paid.

The $66 million includes $10 million for impacts to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and trail users.

It also includes $20.5 million for land acquisition and stewardship projects for the area; $12 million for wetland restoration and mitigation projects and $13 million for cultural resource and historic preservation projects.

The mitigation funds are being administered by The Conservation Fund.

The Conservation Fund has purchased three properties and holds an option on a fourth and will convey them all without cost to the National Park Service after environmental site assessments are completed.

The parcels include: 68.03 acres in Sandyston Township, New Jersey; 41.56 acres in Dingman Township; and two individual but adjacent parcels of 33.07 acres and 145.33 acres in Middle Smithfield Township.

An additional one-third-acre parcel along the Delaware River in Sussex County has already been purchased by the fund and ownership has been transferred to the NPS.